Tuesday, March 20, 2012

No, this is not a post about one of my boys dripping in sticky molasses...I pray fervently that doesn't happen. :)
This is about sticky molasses though - making a mess in my cupboard.
I was packing things into my cupboards a few days ago after picking up the groceries. I tried to move the molasses and it wouldn't budge. It was stuck in it's own drippings. Whoops.
I love the stuff. When I was pregnant with my last baby, I think I had bread with butter and the sugary goodness every night before I went to bed - along with cheese and pickles.
Anyway, back to filling my cupboards...I was complaining to myself about needing to clean these cupboards and find a better storage solution for said "lassy" when I was overwhelmed with gratitude for my full, albeit sticky, cupboards. I thought of moms in other countries, even our own country, who may be looking at almost bare cupboards.
Nothing to make for dinner.
Nothing to feed her children.

Forgive us Lord for forgetting.

We've been meaning to sponsor another child for months now.
We decided when we had our first baby that we would sponsor a little one from another country for every baby we have. We have been delighted to have Rutendo, a little girl from Zimbabwe and Wexlex, a little guy from Guatemala be a part of our lives.
Our youngest son is 8 months old now and we haven't gotten around yet to sponsoring another.
Life happens.

I fold and fold and fold our boys clothes and I forget that there's a little boy somewhere with no clothes to fold.

I put cups of milk and plates of bread and bowls of fruit on our table and forget that there's a mother with nothing to put in bowls for her babies.

I fill up my boys water-guns with clean cold water a zillion times a day and forget that there are some boys who have only muddy, bacteria-infested water to drink.

Forgive me Lord for forgetting.

1 Timothy 6: 17-19 says,"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

I wouldn't call myself rich, maybe you wouldn't call yourself rich either.
However, the food in my cupboards,
clothes in my laundry basket,
car in my garage,
toys on my living room floor,
glowing lamp in the corner and
clean water coming out of my faucet -
most definitely makes me rich to the young gaunt mom in the mud hut
or the teenager trying to wash car windows in the city
or the feeble elderly gentleman in a house with no heat
or the little baby lying on a cold floor in the orphanage
or a neighbor who's having a hard time making ends meet...

Help us not to forget Lord
and help us to take action.

Thank you Molasses for reminding me to do good, be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share and to take hold of the life that is truly life.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Today, me and the kidlets took a beautiful, long (mostly because I was lost for twenty minutes) drive in the country. The farmer's fields are still pretty brown. The trees are still pretty bare. And, the lake is still pretty covered in ice. However, spring is most definitely in the air. The signs are starting to peek out. My boys no longer leave the house in 13 layers. I no longer don a scarf. My husband no longer wears a coat - oh wait - he never wears a coat (yeah, ask him about the time he was pushing his little car out of a ditch in the middle of a blizzard - WITH A T-SHIRT ON!).

As I was enjoying the scenery and the warm sun streaming into the mini-van, along with the static-y classical music playing on the radio - I just had the overwhelming sense of gratitude that

God is in charge.

Me and my little ol' self may think I control schedules and feeding times and cleaning times and t.v. time but thank goodness, it's not me who controls the seasons. It's not me who makes the earth spin on a perfect axis. It is not me who holds life in hands. It is God.

All powerful.

All faithful.

All loving.

Thank you God for your seasons.

Thank you that we can count on Spring coming because You're in charge.

What a relief!

"He spreads out the northern skies over empty space; he suspends the earth over nothing. He wraps up the waters in his clouds, yet the clouds do not burst under their weight. He covers the face of the full moon, spreading his clouds over it. The pillars of the heavens quake, aghast at his rebuke. By his power he churned up the sea.... By his breath the skies become fair.... And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! How then can we understand the thunder of his power?" (Job 26:7-9, 11-14)

Friday, March 9, 2012

This is our nutrition chart. You know how some days your preschoolers seem to unload the refrigerator into their mouth and then the other days they eat one Shreddie? Then, there's the days where I have time to leisurely enjoy toast with peanut butter and the days when I shove a half eaten banana in my mouth on the way out the door. So, in an effort to keep our family on a good nutrition track - I made this chart.

Every morning I get up and erase all the little markings from the day before and we start over again.

That's the thing, with food, you've got to start new again every day.

The apple from yesterday can't act as a fruit serving for today.

And, do you know what I think of almost every morning as I erase yesterday's efforts?

With food, spiritual food, it's good to start new again every day.

The Bible reading from yesteryear can't act as my serving for today.

Psalm 119 shows us the importance we should put on renewing ourselves in God's Word everyday.

"9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? Byliving according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word."

NIV

Lord, help me to keep track of my spiritual food even more closely than my meals...

Thursday, March 8, 2012

My little Samuel looked at my wedding picture a few days ago and exclaimed; "Mommy! Are you a princess?!" Over six years ago I married Prince Charming (I did!) and I guess the tiara and big dress made my 3 year old believe I was a princess (I didn't tell him any different). Like any girly girl, I LOVE princess stories. The tiara, the dresses, the castle, the prince, the food...:) I think my favorite stories are the rag to riches Cinderella-type.

Esther was a rags to riches princess.

Orphaned and raised by her cousin, Mordecai, she was spotted by some court officials who were looking for a pretty young thing to be the king's new wife. Esther didn't have much choice in the matter and she became the new first lady.

It wasn't long before Mordecai and her uncovered a conspiracy to do away with Esther's own people, the Jews. To stop this, Esther would have to approach the king, uninvited - an action that could cost her life.

Mordecai spurred Esther to action with these inspiring words;

"And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NIV)

Today is Purim. Purim is the anniversary of the deliverance of Esther's people from the hands of the conspirator Haman. The new queen had taken her life into her hands and acted on the belief that she had a purpose. Her actions saved a nation.

God has given us all a purpose. Today, on Purim, I encourage you to ask Him what His purpose is for you.

It may not be to save a whole nation - today, but it may be to lead your child to Him.

It may not be to speak in front of millions, but it may be to speak to your co worker.

It may not be to uncover a conspiracy, but it may be to tell the truth.

Ask Him.

He's given you a purpose.

He doesn't leave you aimless.

Be the princess (or prince) you were meant to be!

"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

I am a reading nut. Since I've been able to read, I've read everything. The backs of cereal boxes, posters on waiting room walls, shampoo bottles ("gee, tes cheveux sentent bon!"), stickers on my new bike and wait...oh yes...books.

Some of my favorite books have been stories about missionaries who braved thick rain forests and crocodiles and outhouses.

There was one particular series I really enjoyed called "The Jungle Doctor". I was inspired by the doctor's manner in crazy circumstances. Everything from army ants to witch doctors. His wisdom, steadiness and love for the people of Africa was testimony to God's work in his life.

I was reading the words of Paul, the missionary, this morning. In Philippians 1:27 he writes;

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."

Welcome

The Bible says that God greets each morning with a desire to teach us something. He seems to teach me through the "little things" that make up my life as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend and neighbor. In an effort to remember these lessons and maybe even inspire someone else...I've created this blog. :)